How can I value and sell a very low mileage E500 estate?

[MercedesDriver]

I went and looked at a silver E500 estate with 43k miles on it a couple of months back, it was on Autotrader for quite a while, it was an avantgarde and it was immaculate, it had been serviced every year on the dot at Mercedes, it had every MOT and every tax disc and receipts for all other work carried out, it was up for £6995 and I was very tempted with it.

I sold my ML to buy it, but in the end decided I couldn't personally live with the black interior, but I know many do prefer it over beige or grey leather so that is not a negative, just wasn't right for me. The guy selling it did call me back and ask if I was interested at £6k but I really wanted a black one with beige if going for one.

I do think those looking for a thirsty V8 might want heated seats etc. though.

But see how you get on at £7k, while the dreamers are out there asking £7k for a 150k mile one it will make yours look an absolute bargain!

£7k is price of facelift models. I don't believe that '04 can be anywhere near that price level.
Do you by any chance have a web link of this E500 43k you've seen?

 

[Will]

Looks like a nice car in very good condition (as you would expect from the service history and mileage you mention), but as said already - large petrol engined cars always depreciate very heavily - and as nice as yours is it's probably worth less than a similar condition diesel variant that was probably cheaper to buy new!

The sort of people that buy cars like this (doctors or what have you) don't usually buy 10+ year old cars, they can afford to buy them new and not worry about the depreciation. The enthusiast people who usually buy cheaper (used/older) large petrol engined cars are looking for value for money or ultimate performance - E55 AMG models and the like or high spec/low priced 'luxo-barges'.

For me, unless it was cheap (circa £3/4k) I would be looking for a facelift E500 with the much more powerful 5.5 V8 or otherwise an E55K for a few £k more The relatively low spec and wood trim outweigh the mileage - it's not that low, and realistically the type of running costs you get with a W211 aren't going to be that much lower because the odometer has just 50k less than average on it.

All IMHO but I speak as someone who's bought and sold several large petrol E-classes over the years

Stick it up for circa £6k but be prepared to wait for the right buyer, who may want to be picky on spec and probably negotiate on price anyway.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Thanks, GiantVanMan but I'll have to say....

Thanks GiantVanMan,

but I'll have to say ....."Neigh"

But then I did say it's going to be for sale later in the Summer, not now....

Hello! I've got quite a long face and I'll offer six hundred and ninety five quid and I can't say fairer than that.

 

[MercedesDriver]

looks like a nice car in very good condition (as you would expect from the service history and mileage you mention), but as said already - large petrol engined cars always depreciate very heavily - and as nice as yours is it's probably worth less than a similar condition diesel variant that was probably cheaper to buy new!

The sort of people that buy cars like this (doctors or what have you) don't usually buy 10+ year old cars, they can afford to buy them new and not worry about the depreciation. The enthusiast people who usually buy cheaper (used/older) large petrol engined cars are looking for value for money or ultimate performance - e55 amg models and the like or high spec/low priced 'luxo-barges'.

For me, unless it was cheap (circa £3/4k) i would be looking for a facelift e500 with the much more powerful 5.5 v8 or otherwise an e55k for a few £k more the relatively low spec and wood trim outweigh the mileage - it's not that low, and realistically the type of running costs you get with a w211 aren't going to be that much lower because the odometer has just 50k less than average on it.

All imho but i speak as someone who's bought and sold several large petrol e-classes over the years

stick it up for circa £6k but be prepared to wait for the right buyer, who may want to be picky on spec and probably negotiate on price anyway.

+1

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Thanks for all the feedback, Guys. Very useful.

Interesting to hear all the different perspectives and all that.

I'll use that idea of Mercedes Enthusiast and link it to MB Club, Autotrader & Pistonheads; and forget about putting it on a dealer's Internet forecourt on commission.

I'm not worried about any of the pricing on this. These things always go for whatever they go for.

I'm just chewing over how to reach someone who effectively wants a kind of S500 Estate, rather than the E55k or E320CD Estate man.

Useful feedback. Very helpful.

Best wishes

 

[Deane x]

Just done a quick check on parkers guide app and it's coming up about 7K , the money the doctors I know are on I don't think they will be after a 11 year old car

 

[tec]

I always look for high spec and condition, rather than the lowest mileage car.

A low mileage car will have issues due to lack of use.

Personally I would not pay a large premium just because a car has low mileage, and poverty spec would put me off even more.

6K max in my opinion.

 

[gIzzE]

£7k is price of facelift models. I don't believe that '04 can be anywhere near that price level.
Do you by any chance have a web link of this E500 43k you've seen?

It was down in Suffolk, the link for the ad is no longer there, this was back in Feb/Mar time.

Didn't we have this recently on here when a member was asking about his 5.5 E500?
He wanted £12k and everyone said more like £8k, £9k at best. But he sold it no problem.

 

[gIzzE]

In fact here is the car in question that everyone (including me) said he had no chance of selling at £12k...

E500 (5.5L) Sport Estate SOLD (2008) on Car And Classic UK [C525247]

 

[merc85]

Just to add although the later e500 has the more pwerful lump 5.5 the ved is quite alot more around £500 this would put me off the later car over the earlier e500.

I was looking for a e500 s211 before i bought my e320 cdi, I went the Cdi route because i wanted the most toquey car i could get at the time.

My next car is going tobe a e55k just cant get my head around paying £500 + per year to tax a car by buying the e500 5.5 lol stuck in the dark ages abit.

What im saying is not everyone maybe interested in the 5.5 so you have that extra chance.

 

[MercedesDriver]

In fact here is the car in question that everyone (including me) said he had no chance of selling at £12k...

E500 (5.5L) Sport Estate SOLD (2008) on Car And Classic UK [C525247]

Last year I was looking for 211 without any specific demand regarding engine and trim but only for best buy I can find. Price difference between pre-facelift '04-'05 and facelift models '06-'07 was 60-70% and at that time I was not looking for E55 or E63 but more sensible petrol or diesel E class .

This 2008 E500 is much better equipped compared to OPs and is a facelift model so asking price of £12k is reasonable. For how much it was actually sold we don't know.
I remember, I think in 2013 or late 2012, very similar E500 estate pre-facelift was for sale also with Harmon-Kardon, Easy Pack Tailgate, AMG Pack and paddles*and was at that time something like £6.5-7k. Unfortunately I was late with that one.

 

[Will]

For £12k I would be looking for an E63 or an absolutely exceptional E55K.

Merc85 - I assume you know most (all?) E55 Kompressors are in the lower tax bracket, think mine was £290 PA.

You can insure them on a modern classic policy for under £300 fully comp also

 

[merc85]

For £12k I would be looking for an E63 or an absolutely exceptional E55K.

Merc85 - I assume you know most (all?) E55 Kompressors are in the lower tax bracket, think mine was £290 PA.

You can insure them on a modern classic policy for under £300 fully comp also

Yes buddy i did, its not so much the affordability but the out lay seems hell of alot each year for the privilage of owning such a car. (not saying anyone is mad for doing so) just my opinion.

The insurance aspect may help other's, my vehicles live on my trader's policy which my business cover's the cost of.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Thanks again.... E55's and fuel consumption...

Thanks for the comments last night.

It's interesting the comments about E55 / AMG's and fuel consumption.

Having had an E55 (and an M5) in the past, now that I'm a little bit over 40 (cough), I'd never buy one again. They're grand cars, for fast driving on good roads, but I seldom get the chance to drive that way.

So 17 inch wheels, and non-sports suspension suits me just fine, as does the 300bhp E500, which is plenty fast enough for my usage, without having the risks and costs of the more handbuilt AMG.

And, on the subject of fuel consumption, I don't get the fuss against a V8 doing 25mpg. When you do the numbers, it's really not costing that much extra per year, compared to the depreciation on a slightly newer car.

It's strange that people divide into the Diesel (taxi) versus AMG ultra high power / low mpg camp. Is it just the divide between high mileage users and (cough) low mileage users looking for street credibility?

I'm still thinking that the target buyer for my E500 Estate, is probably the family with three cars on the drive, doing no more than 5,000 miles a year apiece. Sports car, runabout and family car - SLK350 / A150 / E500 Estate, in Mercedes terms. ( Or 911 / Golf / E500 Estate...."wash my mouth out with soapy water..")

Anyway, thanks again. It's good to get people's views.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Insurance

That comment on insurance was a useful reminder.

Going back to my comment about this being a Familienwagen for the three car family. My London insurance bill, for two five litre cars and a sports car is just £600 a year, and the cost of having an extra / fourth car is less than £200 p.a.

So, these things are much more affordable for some than for others.

 

[Charles Morgan]

I used to think of my 04 E500 as an S class estate, very relaxing car to drive, lovely ride but with the capacity of being hustled quite fast. If that toad Ken Livingstone hadn't proposed a £25 a day congestion charge for cars over 3 litres I would probably have had it for a lot longer. My brother in laws E320cdi gets only low 30s and you certainly don't have to worry about any complex diesel engine maintenance issues either.

It looks nice, there are a number of owners on here who have bought them and kept them so if you're in no hurry I am sure you could get a decent enough price for it. It sits in a small niche that I really like, the big engined wafty softie which just does its thing in a nice relaxed way.

 

[Will]

Thanks for the comments last night.

It's interesting the comments about E55 / AMG's and fuel consumption.

Having had an E55 (and an M5) in the past, now that I'm a little bit over 40 (cough), I'd never buy one again. They're grand cars, for fast driving on good roads, but I seldom get the chance to drive that way.

So 17 inch wheels, and non-sports suspension suits me just fine, as does the 300bhp E500, which is plenty fast enough for my usage, without having the risks and costs of the more handbuilt AMG.

And, on the subject of fuel consumption, I don't get the fuss against a V8 doing 25mpg. When you do the numbers, it's really not costing that much extra per year, compared to the depreciation on a slightly newer car.

It's strange that people divide into the Diesel (taxi) versus AMG ultra high power / low mpg camp. Is it just the divide between high mileage users and (cough) low mileage users looking for street credibility?

I'm still thinking that the target buyer for my E500 Estate, is probably the family with three cars on the drive, doing no more than 5,000 miles a year apiece. Sports car, runabout and family car - SLK350 / A150 / E500 Estate, in Mercedes terms. ( Or 911 / Golf / E500 Estate...."wash my mouth out with soapy water..")

Anyway, thanks again. It's good to get people's views.

Just out of interest, why are you selling it?

There are no real 'risks' or costs with the 'hand built' AMG, that's probably the main appeal of the AMG V8 over the cooking models

If you want a smooth petrol engine and aren't worried about performance/street cred, why not a 320? I had both a 320 petrol and a (275bhp M113) 430 in 210 guise and to be honest there was very little difference performance wise, and the fuel consumption was worse than my CLK55 I had at the same time and probably not much better than my current W211 E55.

Even servicing/running cost wise the E500 will be about the same as an AMG - still has 16 spark plugs, still has SBC brakes and airmatic etc. I guess this is what makes them less appealing as older/used cars unless you're paying for the performance, why take the V8 'tax'?

 

[neilrr]

This is the longest ad I think I've ever seen.

 

[MBDevotee]

That comment on insurance was a useful reminder.

Going back to my comment about this being a Familienwagen for the three car family. My London insurance bill, for two five litre cars and a sports car is just £600 a year, and the cost of having an extra / fourth car is less than £200 p.a.

So, these things are much more affordable for some than for others.

That's a damn good price - for three cars - do you mind me asking who that's with?

I currently have a traders policy but I am very borderline in terms of volume for that, so have been looking around, can't get much in the way of discounts, even Admiral multi-car isn't much more than 5-10% off additional cars

 

[MBDevotee]

I think key is ask yourself "Who is going to buy this car".

As said, I'm not sure it's a Doctor or similar.

I would think it's someone like me, who likes a nice wafty car with good performance but that "lazy" performance not "maximum attack" aka AMG style.

To attract this sort of buyer you'll need to focus on the "sensible" stuff, good service history, low miles, etc.

I'd also mention fuel consumption, as I doubt it's that bad (circa 25mpg probably) and suggest it's an ideal car for someone to LPG if they do a few miles.

The things that will hamper you are the colour and low spec as already mentioned - certainly when I buy a "premium" car like this, I do want a well equipped one - whilst Distronic I could live without, I couldn't have a car with leather and no heated seats - I don't mind with cloth - but leather no.

Why do you want to sell?

If it were me, if I did a lot of miles, I'd LPG it to cut the running costs. If I just didn't need / want it anymore I'd be realistic and sell it for a "normal" amount of money, i.e. not load too much onto the price for the miles, however if you have the time and patience, SOMEONE will pay a premium for the miles and serv history - it's just finding them may take a while.